Pakistan brace for Asia Cup
We need to be at our best to win against India: Misbah.
Pakistan starts the Asia Cup as the defending champions, the men in green have won the event twice, both wins have been registered in Bangladesh. PHOTO: SHAFIQ MALIK / EXPRESS
India and Pakistan will renew their intense cricket rivalry in the Asia Cup one-day tournament which opens in Bangladesh, Tuesday.
On-field contests featuring the traditional foes, which attract millions of viewers around the cricket world, have fallen victim to political stand-offs between the two warring neighbours.
Since the World Cup semi-final in 2011, the two have played just five one-day internationals and three Twenty20 matches against each other, mostly in multi-nation events.
Their most recent meeting was in the Champions Trophy last June when India won a rain-affected match in Birmingham by eight wickets and went on to win the tournament.
“It’s always a big challenge playing against India because there is so much interest in the game,” said Pakistan captain Misbahul Haq. “India are a formidable side and we have to be at our best to win.
“We may not have played each other much recently, but I know it will be an exciting match.”
Pakistan begin the five-nation Asia Cup, the symbol of regional supremacy in the one-day game, as the defending champions, having won the 2012 edition in Dhaka.
World champions India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, hosts Bangladesh and new entrants Afghanistan will play each other once in the league with the top two qualifying for the final in Dhaka on March 8.
Misbah’s men to play opener against Sri Lanka
Pakistan take on Sri Lanka in the tournament opener
in Fatullah, a suburban town south of Dhaka that will host the first five league matches before the action shifts to the Bangladeshi capital.
The high-profile India-Pakistan game has been scheduled for Sunday, March 2 at the Sher-e-Bangla stadium in Dhaka.
India, the most successful team in the Asia Cup with five titles in 11 editions so far, will be without inspirational captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni who was ruled out with a side strain.
Top-order batsman Virat Kohli will lead India, while Dinesh Karthik will replace Dhoni as wicket-keeper.
Sri Lanka starts the tournament with the advantage of having been in Bangladesh for the past month, winning the Test, Twenty20 and one-day series against the hosts.
India start their campaign against hosts Bangladesh, Wednesday, eight days after ending a dismal tour of New Zealand where they lost both the Test and one-day series.
The focus will be on the fast-improving Afghans, who were added as the fifth team by the Asian Cricket Council after they qualified for their maiden World Cup next year.
The minnows have played just two one-dayers against Test nations, losing both matches to Pakistan and Australia.
Sethi happy with security arrangements
Meanwhile, Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Najam Sethi is happy with the security arrangements for the national team in Bangladesh.
Sethi told the state broadcasters that Col. Azam security official sent by the board to assess the situation in Dhaka had given a positive report on the arrangements made for the defending champions.
“We have been given assurances of foolproof security in Bangladesh, our security official has given us a positive report and for now we are hopeful of an incident free tournament”.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 24th, 2014.